Multicylinder vessel for transportation of fluids

ABSTRACT

Surface vessels and submarines for the transportation of large volumes of fluids are constructed of a plurality of cylindrical segments joined along their edges. The cylindrical segments serve both as the wall of the storage tanks in which the fluids transported are contained and the skin of the vessel. Webs joined to the junctures of the cylindrical segments extend across the interior of the vessel and are joined to junctures of cylindrical segments on the opposite side of the vessel.

United States Patent 5] Feb. 8, 1972 Phelps [54] MULTICYLINDER VESSEL FOR TRANSPORTATION OF FLUIDS [72] Inventor: Rex V. Phelps, Tulsa, Okla.

[73] Assignee: Warren Petroleum Corporation, Tulsa,

Okla.

221 Filed: Apr. 23, mo

21 Appl.No.: 31,115

[521 user. ..1l4/16R,ll4/74A [51] .1363!) 25/16, 863g 8/00 [58']. FieldofSearch ..ll4/74 A, 65, 16 R; 220/15 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 3,314,567 4/1967 Becker et al. ..1 14/74 A x 1,429,941 9/1922 Flamm ..ll4/l6R 3,400,679 9/1968 Barhite etal ..ll4/l6R Primary Examine'r-Trygve M. Blix Attorney-Meyer Neishloss, Deane E. Keith and Paul L. Tillson 51] ABSTRACT Surface vessels and submarines for the transportation of large volumes of fluids are constructed of a plurality of cylindrical segments joined along their edges. The cylindrical segments serve both as the wall of the storage tanks in which the fluids transported are contained and the skin of the vessel. Webs joined to the junctures of the cylindrical segments extend across the interior of the vessel and are joined to junctures of cylindrical segments on the opposite side of the vessel.'

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ATEWED FE 81972 SHEET 1 [1F 2 mwz/vmxe. REX 1/. PHELPS MULTICYLINDER VESSEL FOR TRANSPORTATION OF FLUIDS This invention relates to the transportation of liquids and more particularly to a vessel for the transportation of liquids under a superatmospheric pressure.

During the last or years there have been discoveries of large subsurface oil reservoirs in countries such as Libya and Nigeria where the consumption of oil and. other petroleum products is low. During the same period there has been a large increase in the consumption of oil and other petroleum products, including LPG and natural gas, in Europe. The production of oil at rates adequate to meet the increased demand has resulted in a concurrent increase in the production of hydrocarbon gases and gas liquids. While the recently constructed supertankers are suitable for the transportation of large amounts of crude oil, such tankers are not suitable for transportation of more volatile petroleum products of high vapor pressure such as LPG.

One of the remote areas in which petroleum will be produced in large quantities is the North Slope of Alaska. One method that has been suggested for the transportation of crude oil produced at the North Slope has been in submarine tankers, preferably driven by nuclear power, capable'of transporting the oil under the ice in the Northwest Passage. Traditionally, the transverse sectional shape of a submarine is substantially circular. The depth of water in channels through which submarine tankers would pass limits the capacity of such tankers if they are of circular cross section to a small, uneconomical size.

This invention resides in a vessel for transporting fluids under superatmospheric pressure in which the hull is formed by a plurality of cylindrical segments substantially horizontally arranged and longitudinally joined together. A web extends across the interior of the hull from each juncture along which cylindrical segments are joined to another juncture. The cylindrical segments form both the wall of the containers in which the fluids are stored under pressure and the skin of the vessel.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a elevational view of a tanker constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along section line II-Il in FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along section line IIIIII in FIG. 1 with the webs not shown.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a submarine constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along section line VV in FIG; 4.

FIG. 6 is an expanded sectional view of a juncture of cylindrical segments and a web.

Referring to FIG. 1, a tanker indicated generally by reference numeral 10 is illustrated having a hull 14, over which there may be a deck 12, and a pilot house 16 at the aft end of the tanker. As is best shown in FIG. 2, the hull 14 includes a pair of spaced apart, substantially horizontal corner cylindrical segments I8 and atthe upper and outer comers of the hull. The concave surfaces of the comer cylindrical segments l8 and 20 face downwardly and inwardly in the general direction of the center of the hull 14 to place their inner edges 22 and 24 extending toward each other a short distance below the deck 12. The cylindrical segments 18 and 20 include an are preferably in the range of l20 to 180 whereby the segment extends toward the center of the vessel beyond the vertical line through the center of curvature of the segment. The lower lateral edge 26 of corner segment 18 and lateral edge 28 of segment 20 extend downwardly below a horizontal line through the center of curvature of those two comer segments.

' A series of upper cylindrical segments 30 are joined together along their lateral edges to form an upper closure for the hull 14. The series of cylindrical segments 30 extend from lateral edge 22 of comer cylindrical segment 18 to lateral edge 24 of corner cylindrical segment 20 and are joined to those lateral edges by welding or other suitable means. If desired. the deck 12 may be omitted, and the upper surface of cylinders 30 will then serve as the deck.

Other series of longitudinally intersecting and joined cylindrical segments 32 form the sidewalls. Cylindrical segments 33 form the bottom and thereby close the hull 14. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vessel is of generally overall rectangular shape in transverse section, and the interconnected cylindrical segments extending from the lower edge 26 to the lower edge 28 include lower corner cylindrical segments 34 and 36. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. Land 2, it is preferred that the cylindrical segments 30, 32 and 33 include an are equal to the arc by which the comer cylindrical segments 18, 20, 30 and 32 exceed 90 whereby the segments 30 and 32 and the corner cylindrical segments 18 and 20 have common tangents and the cylindrical segments 32 and 33 and the comer cylindrical segments 34 and 36 have common tangents. In the vessel illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the cylindrical segments 30 across the top and segments 33 across the bottom of the hull are suitably shaped at'their forward end, as indicated by the shading of segments 33 in FIG. 3, to fit tightly along the edges of the comer segments to close the hull. Such structure is not essential to this invention, however, as the cylindrical segments may not extendthe full length of the vessel and the vessel may be equipped with a conventional bow and stem.

Joined .to each juncture of cylindrical segments are webs that extend across the interior of the hull 14 to another juncture of cylindrical segments on the opposite side of the hull. In the embodiment of the invention in FIGS. 1 and 2, horizontal webs 38 .extend laterally across the hull from junctures of cylindrical segments in a sidewall to junctures cylindrical segments in the opposite sidewall, and vertical webs 40 extend downwardly fromjunctures of cylindrical segments closing the top of the hull to junctures of cylindrical segments 33 forming the bottom of the vessel.

The webs 38 and 40 extend for the full length of the vessel. It is apparent that the webs 38, for example, may be constructed of a series of plates welded in alignment to and between-webs 40 or, vice versa, webs 40 may be a series of aligned plates welded to and between webs 38. As indicated by broken lines in FIG. 1, bulkheads 42 extend transversely across thevessel to divide the space within the hull of the vessel into the desired number of compartments. Webs 38 and 40 have holes to permit draining; however, some of the webs may be imperforate and serve, preferably with additional bracing, as bulkheads dividing the space within the hull 14 into the desired arrangement of storage compartments.

It is an advantage of the invention that the cylindrical segments serve both as a wall of a storage container and the skin of the vessel. The small radius of curvature of the cylindrical segments-"increases the rigidity of the resultant structure. The webs extending across the hull of the vessel carry much of the load forcing the sidewalls apart and thereby reduce the thickness-of the cylindrical segments necessary to withstand the pressure in the storage compartments. Volatile liquids such as LPG, natural gasoline of high vapor pressure, or crude oil spiked with propane can be shipped under pressure in the vessel illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The vessel structure utilizing this invention combines efficient utilization of steel with maximum structural competence to successfully and safely combat the variable and complex combinations of internal and. external pressures, bending moments, torques and thrusts to, which both submersible and surface vessels are subjected.

The vessel construction of this invention is particularly advantageous in submarines for the transportation of crude oil as well as more volatile hydrocarbons beneath the ice in arctic regions. Such vessels must be able to withstand pressure from outside the vessel when submerged. If the submarine is used to transportvolatile hydrocarbons, the vessel must withstand superatmospheric pressures within the compartments. When the submarine surfaces, the direction of the pressure differential across the skin of the vessel may be opposite that existing when the vessel is submerged. The multicylinder construction has the intrinsic ability to withstand both internal and external pressures to which a submarine is subjected.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the submarine is diagrammatically illustrated having a generally rectangular shape in transverse section to provide a submarine tanker of large capacity able to submerge in water of minimum depth. It is an advantage of this invention that a vessel of any reasonable ratio of width to height can be constructed. The submarine is constructed of a series of horizontal longitudinal cylindrical segments 60 joined along their lateral edges to form the upper surface of the submarine hull. The free edge 62 of each of the end cylindrical segments 60 in the series is joined to the edge of a corner cylindrical segment 64. Similarly, the sidewalls of the hull of the submarine consist of a series of longitudinally intersecting and joined cylindrical segments 66 which extend from the lower edge of the corner segments 64 of the upper edge of lower corner segments 68. The bottom of the submarine consists of a series of cylindrical segments 70 extending from the inner edge of one of the corner segments 68 to the inner edge of the opposite corner segment 68. In the submarine illustrated in FIG. 5, the cylindrical segments 70 extend over the middle portion of the vessel and are connected at their forward and aft ends to a conventional bow 69 and stern 71, respectively.

Webs 72 extend across the hull of the submarine from the juncture of cylindrical segments 66 in one sidewall to the juncture of cylindrical segments 66 in the opposite sidewall. Vertical webs 74 extend from the juncture of cylindrical segments 60 in the top of the hull to the juncture of cylindrical segments 70 in the bottom of the hull.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, a cylindrical segment 76 of larger diameter than the other segments extends longitudinally along the upper surface of the vessel to provide space for living quarters for the crew, pipes and pumps for loading or unloading the submarine and other necessary equipment. As indicated by broken lines in FIG. 5, the submarine is divided into compartments by bulkheads 78.

The multicylinder hull structure of this invention can be used for tankers, barges and submarines for the transportation of fluids under superatmospheric pressure. The single wall thickness serving both as a wall of the pressure container and the skin of the vessel provides an important saving in steel and increase in the storage capacity of the vessel. The ability of the multicylinder vessel to withstand pressure allows a blanket of inert gas such as nitrogen or hydrocarbon gas to be maintained at superatmospheric pressure over liquid in the storage compartments to prevent air entering the storage compartment and thereby to eliminate any possibility of an explosive mixture forming in the storage compartments. The elimination of air from the storage compartments also greatly reduces corrosion of the cylindrical segments.

Iclaim:

1. A vessel for the transportation of liquids under superatmospheric pressures having a hull comprising a pair of sub stantially horizontal, spaced-apart, corner cylindrical segments extending longitudinally of the vessel, said corner cylindrical segments including an arc of approximately 120 to 180 and having their concave surfaces facing inwardly and downwardly, the inner lateral edge of the two comer cylindrical segments being at the same elevation and the lower lateral edge of the two corner cylindrical segments being at the same elevation, a first series of a plurality of horizontal cylindrical segments joined longitudinally along lateral edges thereof extending between and joined to the inner lateral edges of the two corner cylindrical segments to form the upper surface of the hull of the vessel, a second series of a plurality of cylindrical segments joined along their lateral edges, said second series extending between and joined to the lower lateral edges of the two corner cylindrical segments to form the sides and the lower surface of the hull of the vessel, means closing the forward and aft ends of the hull of the vessel, the cylindrical segments forming the skin of the vessel and a wall of pressure storage compartments within the vessel, and a web extending across the interior of the hull from each juncture of two cylindrical segments to a nonad acent unction of two other cylindrical segments.

2. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 in which the cylindrical segments in the first series and the corner segments have a common tangent.

3. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 in which some of the webs are imperforate to form bulkheads dividing the hull of the vessel into compartments.

4. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 in which walls extend tranversely of the hull to form bulkheads dividing the hull into compartments.

5. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 in which the second series of cylindrical segments includes two spaced-apart comer segments of to substantially directly below the other corner segments whereby the hull has an overall generally rectangular shape in transverse section.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in which the vessel is a submarine.

7. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in which the vessel is a submarine having a hull of substantially greater width than height.

8. A vessel for the transportation of liquids under superatmospheric pressures having a hull comprising a pair of substantially horizontal, spaced-apart, comer cylindrical segments extending longitudinally of the vessel, said comer cylindrical segments including an arc of approximately 120 to 180 and having their concave surfaces facing inwardly and downwardly, the inner lateral edge of the two comer cylindrical segments being at the same elevation and the lower lateral edge of the two corner cylindrical segments being at the same elevation, a first series of a plurality of cylindrical segments joined longitudinally along lateral edges thereof extending between and joined to the inner lateral edges of the two corner cylindrical segments to form the upper surface of the hull of the vessel, a second series of a plurality of cylindrical segments joined along their lateral edges, said second series extending between and joined to the lower lateral edges of the two comer cylindrical segments to form the sides and lower surface of the hull of the vessel, said cylindrical segments being shaped at their forward and aft ends to close the hull of the vessel, the cylindrical segments forming the skin of the vessel and a wall of pressure storage compartments within the vessel, and a web extending across the interior of the hull from each juncture of two cylindrical segments to a nonadjacent juncture of two other cylindrical segments.

9. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the corner cylindrical segments and the cylindrical segments in the first and second series have substantially the same radius of curvature. 

1. A vessel for the transportation of liquids under superatmospheric pressures having a hull comprising a pair of substantially horizontal, spaced-apart, corner cylindrical segments extending longitudinally of the vessel, said corner cylindrical segments including an arc of approximately 120* to 180* and having their concave surfaces facing inwardly and downwardly, the inner lateral edge of the two corner cylindrical segments being at the same elevation and the lower lateral edge of the two corner cylindrical segments being at the same elevation, a first series of a plurality of horizontal cylindrical segments joined longitudinally along lateral edges thereof extending between and joined to the inner lateral edges of the two corner cylindrical segments to form the upper surface of the hull of the vessel, a second series of a plurality of cylindrical segments joined along their lateral edges, said second series extending between and joined to the lower lateral edges of the two corner cylindrical segments to form the sides and the lower surface of the hull of the vessel, means closing the forward and aft ends of the hull of the vessel, the cylindrical segments forming the skin of the vessel and a wall of pressure storage compartments within the vessel, and a web extending across the interior of the hull from each juncture of two cylindrical segments to a nonadjacent juncture of two other cylindrical segments.
 2. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 in which the cylindrical segments in the first series and the corner segments have a common tangent.
 3. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 in which some of the webs are imperforate to form bulkheads dividing the hull of the vessel into compartments.
 4. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 in which walls extend tranversely of the hull to form bulkheads dividing the hull into compartments.
 5. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 in which the second series of cylindrical segments includes two spaced-apart corner segments of 120* to 180* substantially directly below the other corner segments whereby the hull has an overall generally rectangular shape in transverse section.
 6. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in which the vessel is a submarine.
 7. The invention as set forth in claim 1 in which the vessel is a submarine having a hull of substantially greater width than height.
 8. A vessel for the transportation of liquids under superatmospheric pressures having a hull comprising a pair of substantially horizontal, spaced-apart, corner cylindrical segments extending longitudinally of the vessel, said corner cylindrical segments including an arc of approximately 120* to 180* and having their concave surfaces facing inwardly and downwardly, the inner lateral edge of the two corner cylindrical segments being at the same elevation and the lower lateral edge of the two corner cylindrical segments being at the same elevation, a first series of a plurality of cylindrical segments joined longitudinally along lateral edges thereof extending between and joined to the inner lateral edges of the two corner cylindrical segments to form the upper surface of the hull of the vessel, a second series of a plurality of cylindrical segments joined along their lateral edges, said second series extending between and joined to the lower lateral edges of the two corner cylindrical segments to form The sides and lower surface of the hull of the vessel, said cylindrical segments being shaped at their forward and aft ends to close the hull of the vessel, the cylindrical segments forming the skin of the vessel and a wall of pressure storage compartments within the vessel, and a web extending across the interior of the hull from each juncture of two cylindrical segments to a nonadjacent juncture of two other cylindrical segments.
 9. A vessel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the corner cylindrical segments and the cylindrical segments in the first and second series have substantially the same radius of curvature. 